How KCB is leading green revolution in Masai Mara

At the edge of Narok county's world-famous Masai Mara national reserve, where the vast savannah stretches to the horizon, a financial institution is leading the way towards renewable energy.

Located at Talek trading centre, some 109km from Narok town, is KCB bank, which has established itself as a pioneering force in the region.

It is one of the major institutions and business premises here that have fully embraced solar energy.

At first sight, electric wires dangling right outside over the building might tempt you to think it's a source of power to the facility.

But no, that is not the case.

For the past five years since the Kenya Power and Lighting Company connected the area to the power grid, management has not seen the need to embrace it.

The bank instead transitioned from the generators it has used since its inception to solar panels, something that has seen it save millions of shillings that were being spent on diesel fuel.

Opened 11 years ago, the branch now serves as a model for integrating green technology for sustainable development.

BETTER OPTION

Jonah Tirop, the bank's branch manager, explained to us in an interview their journey to where they are now.

"Until 2020, there was no electricity here. What was supposed to be serving Talek town was a small power grid called Talek power, managed by some investors. It was expensive and unreliable," he says.

"For all that time up to 2019, the branch was running on generators. We had two: one running for 12 hours from morning to evening, and the other throughout the night."

The two generators are now lying behind the premise under the solar panels shed, a reminder of the journey from reliance on diesel power to clean energy.

When asked about the costs they used to incur on the purchase of diesel, Tirop says,"The figures were astronomical.”

The decision to introduce solar power, he said, was informed by a feasibility study on the use of solar energy as compared to using generators.

"It was realised that solar was much more reliable, efficient and less costly," he said.

Being the lone financial institution in the area, the bank serves more than 100 tented camps in the reserve. It also serves schools, churches, land owners, business traders and the park itself in the collection of park fees.

Out of the 15,000 bank agents KCB has, Talek branch accounts for 12.

And with its technology proving to be a game changer in this area, many business owners have now started embracing it.

SUPPORTING THE TRANSITION

The bank, through its green lending programme, is supporting residents and camps in the reserve to transition to green energy.

One such camp that has already benefited is Entim, which is strategically located with the views of Mara river and close to the wildebeest’s migration route.

For the last four years, the management says it has managed to save Sh49 million thanks to the solar energy.

The camp is one of the 16 lodges currently operating inside the reserve.

"We used to spend at least 200 litres of diesel fuel to power the two generators, which was very costly to us," David Mboko, a co-manager here, tells us.

This is about Sh34,000 daily.

Installed in 2020, the power plant produces 47kw at peak and can light up the whole camp with 24 tents.

Speaking about the benefits of installing solar power, Mboko says there has been a sharp increase in the number of visitors to the camp due to the unrivalled services they offer.

Unlike in the past, where guests would often express frustration over intermittent electricity, now they are satisfied.

Power outages and limited access to charging facilities were the order of the day at the camp.

They now have several charging points in the rooms and guests have unlimited power usage.

“Solar power has transformed our camp. The situation has changed dramatically,” he says, his voice brimming with pride.

“Guests can charge their devices without worry, be it phones, cameras or laptops, all day long,” he adds, a satisfied grin on his face.

The camp's solar power system cost Sh11.3 million to instal, with the bank financing 60 per cent of it.

REPUTATION CHANGER

The camp, once plagued by unreliable electricity, now offers a seamless power experience, thanks to the clean energy provided by the solar panels through the support of the bank.

Its reputation has also grown not just for its breathtaking surroundings and exceptional service but for its reliability and modern amenities.

Solar power has not only solved past challenges but has also positioned the camp as a forward-thinking destination that values guest comfort and sustainability.

The moths of June to September being the high season for the Masai Mara due to wildebeest migration, the camp has recorded high number of tourists from outside the country.

When we arrived here, guests kept checking into the camp in groups. All the tents, we are told, have already been booked.

“There is no space currently. All the rooms are reserved,” he says.

As part of its corporate social responsibility, Entim has built schools for the community and currently supports academic research activities of several conservation scientists actively working to learn more about the ecosystem.

KCB gained accreditation from The Green Climate Fund in November 2020, making it the first lender in the country to support climate mitigation and adaptation projects through green financing.

This journey began with the bank’s nomination for accreditation in 2007 by the Treasury.

As at the end of 2023, the bank’s carbon footprint was cut by 28 per cent on a deliberate push to be a net zero carbon-emitting, tree-growing company by 2050.

To accelerate this, it is participating in carbon offsetting initiatives, such as tree-growing, in partnership with schools.

Last year, the Group planted more than 300,000 trees, and the goal is to plant more than 1.2 million trees in the next five years.